He loves me, he loves me not
by skulls-surround-suns
Summary: Katie hates(not really) her lousy shop partner Travis who has fallen asleep during class. Katie takes it upon herself to make him into her new canvas. It's not her fault her doodles are quite adorable, and it's definitely not her fault when her boredom doodles lead to something much bigger. Rated T for swearing.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: If you recognize it, it's not mine.**

Katie sighed as she swirled her pen around her paper. Class had never been so boring, and it didn't help that the idiot sitting next to her had fallen asleep and was currently drooling on the assignment that they were supposed to be working on a design for shop . She sighed again, louder this time and cast a glare in Travis's direction. He snorted and she brought her head down on the table in frustration. She turned her head to look at him. She had no idea why this dumbass was so popular and so well liked by girls. All she saw was a slacker who had tormented her since the first grade when he had filled her backpack with glitter.

She looked at her paper again, her little doodles covering the page. She eyed the first question and gave up in exasperation. She had to admit that shop was not her subject. This was Travis's expertise. She poked him. He didn't even notice. She shook him a little. He stirred and she thought maybe he had woken up, but he just went back to snoring.

Now that he was relaxed Katie couldn't help to admit that he was handsome. His face had smoothed now that he didn't have his ridiculous grin and his curly, brown hair was slightly ruffled. Katie knew that if he opened his eyes she would be met with the startling blue that the girls at her school fawned over. Nonetheless he was still the boy that pranked her without mercy and she could never look past that.

He moved and Katie quickly averted her gaze. If he caught her staring at him she would never hear the end of it. She could just imagine it " _Finally! I got the great Katie Gardner to fall in love with me!"_. She shuddered. _Like that was ever going to happen._ When she saw that he was still asleep she raised her head. She knew she couldn't go back to doing her actual shop work, none of it made any sense to her. She eyed Travis's outstretched hand. She took out a black felt tip pen and uncapped it. She nudged him one more time to make sure he wouldn't wake up. She put the tip of the pen to his skin and-

 _Dammit._

 _I don't know what to draw._ She took the pen away from his hand. Katie knew what Travis would do in this situation. He would probably draw a moustache and beard on her face and dicks all over her arms. But that was too vulgar. And too mean. Katie wasn't an asshole like Travis.

 _Fuck it, I'm just going to draw flowers._

She put the felt tip back to his skin and made a tiny circle. Around the circle she put several tiny petals and a stem. _A daisy._ Making sure he was still asleep, she started to draw more tiny flowers. Daisies and roses and daffodils started to populate the backside of his hand. Katie had completely focused on her tiny flowers and had entirely forgotten about shop, her assignment and most importantly-Travis.

She jumped when he stirred, and looked up at his face. his bright blue eyes were trained on the flowers she was doodling on his hand and then glancing at her now bright red face. he raised his eyebrow and broke into a grin.

"Aww, Katie-Kat! Is this your way of giving me flowers! I knew you loved me, but this is just adorable"

"WHAT! N-No! That isn't even close to what I was doing! I was, um…" Katie tried to think of a reasonable explanation. She decided of a slightly less sugary version of the truth(aka. minus the admiring of his facial structure).

"You were sleeping. I was bored. I knew that if I was sleeping-I never would- that you would draw male genitalia all over me, but I didn't want to stoop to your level."

Travis huffed."I am sure that's what it was." He answered with a cocky grin.

 _That's what it was._ Katie told herself.

"Let's get back to work. I have no idea how to do any of the stuff on this worksheet and you are the only one with any kind of engineering knowledge."

Travis shot her a look. "Ok, why don't you do the write up, and I'll do the design."

"Sure."

Travis gave one last nod of affirmation and they both turned away from each other.

When the bell rang to end class Katie couldn't be happier. Although nothing happened for the rest of the class, the tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife. She couldn't blame Travis though, it was all coming from her side. She doubted he even cared about the flowers, or that he even batted an eye at the teasing-he was always like this. It was always like this with her to. Everytime he teased he she felt an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of the stomach and in her chest, like a swarm of bees flying around inside her. She didn't know why she was always so nervous talking to him and why she was so jittery afterward. She was supposed to be cool suave Katie who takes no shit from nobody(nobody being travis), but inside she was all bees anxiety. Compared to relaxed, easygoing, popular Travis, she was a mess.

Katie packed her bag and tried to leave the classroom as soon as possible, but the jam of people made it impossible to squish her way through. She decided just to wait impatiently behind the mob while they sorted themselves out. Travis walked up beside her and she braced herself for a continuation of the earlier conversation. The bees in her stomach started up again, but surprisingly, he didn't say anything. Katie turned to look at him. He was looking straight ahead, but turned his head to glance at her when he caught her looking at him. He turned away blushed and tried to push his way forward. Katie raised an eyebrow at him. ' _Unusual behavior'_ she thought.

She glanced at his hand, the one she had drawn all over. She stifled a squeak. He had turned her small arrangement of flowers(there had only been five or so) into a full blown meadow. Tiny replicas of the flowers had been drawn around the existing ones, along with an arrangement of hearts and swirls. Katie snorted. Travis was just as weird and dorky as her, sometimes she just forgot that. It looked like valentine's day had thrown up over his arm, but that wasn't the only other thing that felt like throwing up. Katie noticed one other little detail he had missed before. On the stretch of skin between his knuckles was written in carefully crafted print (Travis didn't _do_ cursive) were the words _I love Katie._

 **A/N: I'll try to keep this short- I am not really sure about this story, I accidently made it longer than planned. (seriously, it is called 'that horribly long flower thingy' in my google docs) My heart is not really in it, but I think that if I had some encouragement I could find a way to complete it up nicely. Please favorite and follow, or better yet, write a review telling me if I should keep writing and what should happen next.**

 **\- skulls-surround-suns**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hi y'all! I just wanted to tell you that I plan on updating at least once a week and I wanted to thank PhoenixOfAshes and**

 **Ayano's Theory of Relativity for giving me some great ideas.**

 **If you recognise it, it's not mine.**

Katie should probably be freaking out. She really should. She just found out her tormentor for nine years and one of the most popular guys at her school(not a jock, more like a really attractive class clown) had a crush on her. Nevertheless she was sitting on her bed calmly and staring at a wall. Maybe she was in shock.

It's not like it meant anything, really. He had just doodled it on his hand, her hadn't professed his love or anything like that. What really got to her was the fact that he had hidden it. _Why did he hide it?_ If he had made a joke, or brandished it like a badge she wouldn't have taken him so seriously.

Katie decided to get up and take a shower. After her shower she put her pajamas on and opened her laptop. She tried putting on one of her favorite shows but found her heart was only half in it, and so she decided to go to sleep.

Katie ignored Travis for the rest of the week. She wanted to push the fact that he might have feelings for her all the way to the back of her mind. Especially the voice that told her that she liked him too.

He seemed to notice and seemed down about it. Or maybe he was down about something else. As she continued to ignore him the number of pranks per week diminished. As she saw less and less of him she started to feel sadder.

Katie was walking down the hall reading a book (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's stone-her favorite) when she felt a harsh shove.

"TRAVIS! I SWEAR TO-" Katie whipped around to face her tormentor. The sheepish face of Connor appeared to meet her.

"Hey Katie."

"Oh, Connor. It's just you. I thought it was...nevermind."

"You thought I was-or hoped per say- that I was Travis?" Conner raised an eyebrow.

"WHAT! N-no! I um, just uh." Katie stuttered.

"Mmhmm. I'm sure." Katie hit him. She had always liked Connor, Travis's twin brother(and no, not in _that_ way). He was nice, although he did occasionally participate in the pranks his brother pulled. They looked quite alike, most people could barely tell them apart, but Katie could. Connor lacked Travis's height, his confidence, and the sparkle in his eye. He also lacked the popularity, but that was never a problem for Katie. She liked him all the more.

"So, have you talked to Travis recently?" Connor asked. Katie blushed.

"N-no, why?" She said. Connor rubbed the back of his neck timidly.

"I just thought he would have told- uh, I mean talked to you by now."

"And why is that?" If anything, Connor looked even more sheepish right now.

"No reason in particular." He said, drawing out the last syllable. Katie raised an eyebrow, challenging him to keep talking. She must look pretty confident and convincing because Connor smiled guiltily at her, but in reality, Katie was just a bundle of nerves. She felt like a whole hive of bumblebees decided to swarm and relocate themselves into her stomach. _What does he mean by Travis's needing to tell me something? Was Travis planning on confessing? Does Connor know?_

Katie wanted -no _needed_ some answers, but they were proving difficult to find. Connor adjusted his bag on his shoulder.

"Soooo, that has been sufficiently awkward. I think I have to go…., so I'll see you another time. Bye Katie!"

"Oh, no you don't! You need to tell me what you mean by-" but Connor had already left and blended into the crowd.

"Dammit." Katie muttered it under her breath, but she felt like it was loud enough for the whole world to hear. If Travis's though about her in _that way_ then why didn't he just tell her. And what would she say. What would she do? A-and… how does she feel about him?

Katie jogged down the hall for her next class. She sat in her seat next to her best friend Miranda. She nodded her head and smiled at her. Miranda smiled back and opened her mouth to say something, but at that moment their teacher stood at the front of the class and began teaching. Katie looked at Miranda questionably. Miranda shook her head " _no_ ". _I wonder what it was she wanted to tell me?_

Soon class had ended and Katie packed her bags. Since it was the last class of the day, Katie wanted to invite Miranda to come to her house.

"Hey Miranda, do you want to-"

"Sorry Katie, I'm actually meeting someone."

"Oh. Yeah, that's ok. Have fun." _Meeting someone?_ The way Miranda said it made it seem like it was a secret. _Maybe she's meeting a boyfriend? If so, why wouldn't she tell me?_ Katie waved goodbye to Miranda. She waved back and hurried out of the classroom.

Although she totally understood that she was being crazy, Katie couldn't help but wonder if this was about her. What was so secret that Miranda couldn't tell her about it? Katie finally resolved to follow her.

Katie ran out of the classroom and down the hall to the doors of the school. She pushed them open, wincing at the loud noise they made. They slammed shut behind her. Katie stood and looked around. It looked like it was going to rain. She started running in the way she assumed Miranda would go, but didn't hear the voices on the other side of the town's public library. She almost ran straight into two people having a tense discussion, but stopped and hid behind the corner before they could see her.

She heard a familiar voice coming from behind the building.

" _Miranda!"_ Katie whispered to herself. When the second person spoke she squeaked in surprise.

" _And Travis!"_ She stopped and listened to what they were saying.

"I don't know what girls like! What should I get!?"

"Oh, gods Travis! I don't know. Maybe _flowers!_ Ever think of that?!" Miranda said with increasing annoyance.

"I _did!"_ Travis defended himself _._

"Oh, and where are they?" She accused.

"Well, er…"

"I thought so. If you want to bring a girl flowers, you have to actually _give a them to her!"_

Katie's eyes widened. _Of course! It was so clear!_ Katie shook her head and blinked back tears. She chastised herself for being so blind. It made perfect sense. Miranda being so secretive, Travis acting so unusually meek and not pulling any pranks on her. _Miranda and Travis are dating!_

 _What was going on?_ It sounded as if Travis had forgot to bring Miranda something. Flowers? Why would she want flowers from him? Had they been dating for a while. Katie had so many questions but none of them were being answered. If they _had_ been dating for a while, why had they not told her?

Katie pushed herself away from the wall and took off running. When her feet slapped the pavement she heard Travis and Miranda stop arguing and run to look to see who had been eavesdropping. Katie wiped the tears from her eyes. Then she felt angry at herself for crying. What did she care if they got together? How does it concern her? Why was she crying so much? Why was she acting as if...as if she…

As if she liked Travis.

 _Nope. No. I cannot deal with this right now. What about all of the times he tormented me, and played pranks on me?_ She tried to gather up every negative emotion she had ever had towards Travis, every time he was mean of had humiliated her, but all she could think of were the good memories. Brown curls against sunny skies. Loud laughter at a joke she just told. Exploring the forest behind her house, grabbing his hand among the deep greens and leading him forward. Grey skies and the threat of rain while stuck on the top of a Ferris wheel. Being held in strong, warm arms.

 _Oh god!_ Katie shook her head. Had it always been like this? Had she always had feelings for Travis. Had she always felt this way? How could she have been so blind? So blind to her abundance of feelings and to his apparent lack of.

Katie felt like her lungs would burst and like her head would explode. She stopped running, chest heaving as she panted and sobbed. She looked around herself. She was just a block away from her house. She walked in that direction. She was looking down at the pavement as the first drop of water splattered on the ground. Her sobs had faded into silent crying, and she no longer needed to wipe away the tears that ran down her cheeks and fell to the pavement only to blend in with the rain. She sniffles as she remembered that day on the Ferris wheel.

Everything had seemed so golden then. Travis had been glowing and so had she. Katie wondered why he had never been on her radar before. She had never thought of him in anyway other than a friend, or maybe a problem. He had always been so cruel to her, teasing and pranking, he had always seemed so,...so….distant. Friends but not friends. Close but far. He was lazy, and mean, and didn't do his goddamn work, but he was also thoughtful, and kind, and….there. He fit into her life perfectly, like a puzzle piece. She never thought about him that way because he was always there.

Katie didn't need a boyfriend when she had Travis. Travis helped lead her through life like he was leading her in a dance and she was his partner. But now that he was gone, that he was no longer attainable…. Katie realised she couldn't dance solo.

Katie was pulled out of her thoughts when she got a text. It was from Miranda.

 **Hey Katie. I'm coming over right now. I'll be there in 15**

 **Katie?**

 **?**

Katie unlocked her phone to respond.

 **It's fine. You don't need to come**

 **No no Katie, it's fine. I am sorry I had to meet someone, I'll be right over**

Katie chuckled darkly at that. _Meet someone. Ha!_ Katie really didn't want to face Miranda yet, but she knew that no matter what she said, Miranda would come over anyway. She was so fucking headstrong. That was one of the reasons Katie liked her. No one could tell her what she could or couldn't do.

Katie walked up the stairs to her porch. She was so distracted that she didn't properly acknowledge the crushed flowers in front of her door. If she had been in her normal state she may have noticed that the were lilacs and sunflowers. _First love and adoration._ Katie pushed open the door and ran up the stairs before her parents could yell in protest of her dripping all over the floor. She had to prepare for Miranda's visit.

 **A/N: Sorry. I think that was a bit too fast, but I promise that I'll try to make this story a bit slower and I'll try to add some twists and turns to it. Tell me what you think should happen next. I will listen! Don't forget to fave, follow and review! See you in a week!**

 **~skulls-surround-suns**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Warning: This chapter is extremely, unnecessarily dramatic.**

 **If you recognize it, it's not mine.**

Katie face planted on her bed and let out a scream in her pillow. _God. Why was everything falling apart!_ Now she didn't have Travis(when had she ever _had_ Travis?) and she didn't have Miranda. Katie thought back to her and Miranda's fight.

" _Katie? I'm coming in!" Katie heard Miranda yell from downstairs. She heard footsteps coming up to her room and then a knock on her door._

" _Hello? Katie?"_

 _Katie opened the door. Her hair was still dripping, but she had changed into some dry clothes. Miranda came in and glanced around the room. Then she looked at Katie._

" _Oh my god, Katie! You're soaking wet!" Miranda moved her hand up to touch Katie's hair and Katie visibly recoiled. Not from disgust, or dislike. Just distrust. Katie never was able to trust people very easily(Travis' fault), but she never thought she wouldn't be able to trust Miranda of all people._

" _...Katie, is everything alright? Why are you so wet?" Miranda looked confused._

" _Everything's fine," Katie said harshly. "And I just took a shower. What were_ you _doing?" Miranda seemed a bit jarred by Katie's response. She looked behind Katie at the bathroom and at Katie's wet hair. She seemed to put the pieces together._

" _Oh My God."_

" _Mmhmm."_

" _You were out in the rain. That's why your hair is wet. Don't bullshit me about a shower. The mirror isn't foggy." Katie should have remembered that Miranda was like fucking Sherlock Holmes. "It was you. You were the running person by the library." Katie nodded._

" _I knew I heard someone. How much did you hear?"_

" _I knew it!" Katie said, putting her hands on her face. "I fucking knew it!"_

" _Wait." Said Miranda. "Shouldn't you be happy about this?" Katie looked at her incredulously._

" _Happy? Jesus Fucking Christ, I'm fucking overjoyed!" Katie yelled, her voice dripping with sarcasm. What would she be happy? Miranda was dating the guy she liked for god's sake! Of course Katie had never said she liked him, but Miranda knew her better than anyone. Miranda knew Katie better than Katie knew herself._

" _Wait, did you not see the flowers?"_

" _Flowers?" What did flowers have to do anything?_

" _Yeah, the flowers on your porch. I saw them there."_

" _What does that have to do with anything!" Katie yelled. She shook her head. Why was Miranda being so...so...oblivious!_

" _It has to do with everything! How much of the conversation did you actually hear?"_

" _Well, I heard you and Travis talking about him forgetting to bring you flowers and you were getting made at him for being a bad...a bad," Katie wiped tears from her eyes angrily. "It doesn't matter. I know you and Travis are dating!" Miranda had the audacity to laugh._

" _Miranda! I can't believe you're laughing. I can't believe you would do this!" That sobered her up. Miranda looked at Katie._

" _Wait. You actually think that I would…" Katie nodded and looked at her pointedly and Miranda sputtered. "How little trust do you have in me!"_

" _Obviously not enough! I should have known! It was so obvious."_

" _OBVIOUS?"_

" _You and Travis, right from the goddamn fucking start."_

" _Me and Travis? I can't believe-" Miranda calmed down a little bit and then looked at Katie. She wore an expression Katie had never seen on her face before. She simmered with anger, disappointment and one more thing. Resolve_

" _Fine. So what if we are dating. What does it matter." Katie looked at her in disbelief. "It's not as though you like him, right? At least you never told me. Then again you never tell me anything. It's almost as if we're not even friends, strangers." Katie knew this wasn't true. She told Miranda everything(almost everything) and Miranda told her everything(I guess not anymore though). Miranda's statement left Katie gaping open mouthed, like a fish._

" _GET OUT!" Katie pointed at the door. She couldn't think of anything else than completely "noping" out of the situation and forcing it out of the door. She couldn't deal with anything right now and she needed Miranda to leave. Now._

 _Miranda nodded her head and started to leave Katie's room. Before she left she said one last thing._

" _By the way we're not. Travis and I aren't dating." Her hardened expression turned into a sneer that Katie never would have thought would be on her best friend's- ex best friend that is- face. "Yet." Katie gasped._

" _OUT!" Miranda shut the door and Katie could vaguely hear her mother asking Miranda to stay for dinner. Katie then walked over to her bed._

And that led to now. Katie sat up and looked across her room and out the window. The rain was still pouring down. It slid down the window, creating weird shadows on the floor of her room. Katie got up and walked across the room to her window. She took the mini cactus on the sill and sat on the ground with it. She looked at it sadly.

"What am I going to do now?"

Katie probably looked like death. Okay, maybe death was an overstatement, but she felt like she had just crawled out of hell and risen up from the ground. She hadn't showered for two days, she hadn't brushed her hair, and she was wearing her father's grey sweatpants and a shirt from a camp she went to as a kid. But today she just didn't care.

Katie walked into her first period and sat down at her desk. She tried not to look over at Miranda, who was staring at her from the desk to the right of her, and ignored Travis blatantly turning around and gaping at her from his seat at the front of the classroom, next to the teacher. She took a book out of her bag, she was now on The Prisoner of Azkaban, the part where Harry finds out about Sirius being his godfather. She closed her book as the teacher started the class.

Twenty minutes into physics and Katie wasn't surprised she was already bored out of her mind. Travis kept awkwardly glancing at her and Miranda was still glaring at her out of the corner of her eye. Katie felt terrible and gross. She really should have taken a shower last night. She really just wanted to crawl under a rock and sleep. Forever.

Katie's pencil swirled around on her paper. She looked down. She had started absentmindedly drawing flowers. Her lines were messy and deformed, but she could still tell what they were. _Lavender. Distrust._ She decided to clean up the lines and draw some more. She always did like drawing flowers, it calmed her down. She drew a stalk of snapdragons. _Deception and presumption._ Lastly, she drew sunflowers. She didn't remember what they meant, she just liked drawing them. Something tugged at the back of her mind. The sound of rain and crushed petals. Katie jerked her head up when the bell rang and she got up and started shoving her books in her bag.

Her elbow knocked into her drawing and sent it to the floor. She paid no attention to it, she just wanted to go to the school office to see if she could call home. She was too emotionally exhausted to be here today. She was just about to walk out the door when a hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"Hey." Travis turned around to see blue eyes and brown curls. _Travis._ He was holding her page of doodles. "I thought you were obsessed with flowers when you drew them all over my hand, but is that all you ever draw?" He said in a mocking tone. Katie couldn't help but blush, and then chastised herself for blushing. _He's taken. By my best friend. Former best friend._

"What I do is none on your business."

"Ooh, sassy." Travis grinned and the word 'dimples' filled Katie's mind. She shook her head and grabbed her doodles. She crumpled the paper in her fist and threw it in the trash bin.

"Oh my, Katie! Was that your love letter to me? If it's not ready yet you could have just said so." Katie looked at Travis disbelievingly. Was this just a game to him. He was dating Miranda and he was still flirting with her. _What is wrong with this bastard?!_

"Are you _serious_ , Travis!"

"What?!"

"Oh my god! Unbelievable!" Katie turned away from him and began walking out of the classroom(her teacher was starting to glare). "What about Miranda?"

"What about Miranda?!" The people in the hall were staring at them so Katie lowered her voice.

"I know, Travis. I know. I was there, in the rain. I heard your conversation." Travis looked confused, but then his eyes widened.

"That was you?" Katie nodded. Travis put his hands on his face and sighed.

"Look, I'm sorry you had to find out like that. I thought you would be happier about it."

" _Happy?_ "

"Yeah, and I thought maybe you liked me t-"

"Me? Like you?" Katie couldn't believe what she was hearing. Travis knew Katie liked him, decided to go out with Miranda, her best friend, anyway(he can do whatever he wants but…), and then expects her to be happy about it. He was such a douche bag.

"I could never like you," Katie snapped. "In fact, I hate you. I hate everything about you, Travis Stoll." Travis looked like he had just been punched in the face. He staggered away from her. Then he straightened and his expression hardened.

"W-well, now I see how you feel about me. Thank you for explaining it so...plainly." For once, Travis made no witty remarks, no jokes. Katie had said those three words a million times, but she had never truly felt it. She wasn't sure if she truly felt it now. But it was apparent he did. Travis gave her one last look.

"I have to go." He nodded at her, and then he was gone.

Most of the hallway had cleared out, so by the time Katie started to cry, nobody saw her. She ran to the office and pointed at the phone. The woman at the desk nodded to her and Katie picked it up. She dialled her number and waited for someone to pick up. Finally she heard her mum's voice.

"Hello?"

"Mum, it's me." Katie sobbed into the phone.

"Oh my god Katie, what's wrong?"

"I just..something really *sniff* really bad happened *sniff* and I just...I just can't-"

"Okay sweetie, I understand. Just wait in fronT of the school, I'll come pick you up." Katie agreed and then hung up. She thanked the desk lady, who was starting to look uncomfortable, and then left.

Katie sat on the front steps of her school as she waited. Her crying had slowed down to quiet sniffles and she dug around her bag for a tissue. She stopped when she heard voices.

"Really Travis, what about Katie?" Katie widened her eyes, horrified. This could _not_ be happening again. Why did this always happen. Did Miranda and Travis make a habit of sneaking around buildings? Katie unconsciously trained her ears on the voices.

"Please Miranda."

"No."

"Please!"

"Travis, I won't go out with you!" Katie stifled a gasp. _Miranda wasn't lying!_ "Don't ask me out just because Katie doesn't like you."

"Miranda, she hates me."

"I'm sure that's not true."

"She said it. Twice."

"Travis, just because the girl you're in love with rejected her doesn't mean you can go off and date her best friend."

And that was when it all snapped into place.

 _God, how much did I fuck up._

 **A/N: GOD! How fucking dramatic was that?! BTW, I was laughing the whole time I was writing that chapter. This fic is quite ridiculous, I have to admit. Well folks, I'll post the final chapter in about a week. Give me some ideas for how it should go! Until then, please follow, fave and review.**

 **~skulls-surround-suns**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Sorry for my extra week long absence! I was just having a stressful week of school and whatnot. Here is the second to last chapter! I want to thank KittyKofficial and someone who just called themselves Awesome(?) for giving me a few ideas for how this chapter would go!**

 **If you recognize it, it's not mine.**

Katie faked sick for three days before she decided she had to face her problems instead of running away from them. And by face her problems, she meant hide behind a bush from them. Katie cursed at herself while ducking behind a tree outside of the gym. She couldn't go on avoiding Travis forever. _But I might as well try._

Katie felt bad for what she had said to Travis. Katie felt beyond bad. She felt horrible. She had literally told the boy that was in love with her that she hated him. And none of what she had said was true. Katie wanted to hide under a rock for the rest of her life. She was furious at herself and didn't want to face Travis. Or Miranda.

Her and Miranda still hadn't made up. There were so many time where Katie had wanted to just pick up the phone and call her, or even text her, but she had been too scared. Everything Miranda had said to her had be true. She didn't tell her everything, like she should. She had held back her feelings from Miranda, and that's what had gotten her into this mess in the first place. Katie was stupid. _Stupid stupid stupid._

Katie ducked out from behind the tree. The coast was clear. She began walking towards the bathroom. She had never had many friends in the first, it was mostly just her and Miranda. She didn't have anyone to sit with at lunch, the library was closed for renovations and she didn't think she could stand talking with anyone right now. She wanted to wallow in her own self pity. Which is why she opted to go at it Mean Girls style: eating in the bathroom.

Katie opened one of the stalls and stepped in. She sat on the toilet and looked at the graffiti on the walls. The usual stuff like _A+P_ and _Drew is a bitch_ covered the walls. She looked at one note that advertised a club called The Hunters. _Live without boys? All girls? Friends forever?_ It sounded pretty good. But then she thought about Travis and his hair and his eyes and dimples and jokes and smile and well, she couldn't give up boys. _Unfortunately._ She read the walls and ate her sandwich. She tried not to cry as she thought about how _goddamn_ sad this was. _I have hit rock bottom. Eating in the bathroom: God, how pathetic._

The door of the bathroom opened. Katie stopped eating and raised her feet up as two girls entered. She may be eating in the bathroom, and she may not have any friends, but she would not let anyone else see how low she had sunk.

The girls shuffled over to the mirror to do a makeup check. Katie tried to ignore their conversation, until something caught her attention.

"Oh my god, did you hear about the newest couple?"

" _What?_ No, tell me!"

"So do you know that girl Miranda?"

"Blonde Miranda?"

"No, the other one."

"Yeah…"

"Well apparently her and Travis are dating." Katie sucked in her breath so fast she thought she was going to choke. The girls stopped talking and Katie thought she had been caught until the resumed.

"Oh my god! Seriously?"

"I know, right? He is so much better than her. I don't know why he always likes people that are below him. First Katie G. and now Miranda?"

"Ugh. I know. He would be so much better with-" But Katie didn't hear the last part. Had everyone known about Travis's crush on her but her? And him and Miranda were- Katie didn't want to think about it. She had thought Miranda had rejected him, but maybe not. During their argument she had said she wasn't dating Travis _yet._ Katie couldn't help crying. She felt the tears roll down her cheeks- fat drops of water that rolled down her face and fell off her chin and onto her uneaten sandwich.

Katie didn't know what to think anymore. It wasn't like she was best friends with Miranda anymore. She couldn't stop her from dating who she liked, and Katie had never actually told her that she liked Travis. In fact, all she did was complain about him. She should have just been honest with Miranda and with herself.

Katie waited until both of the girls had finished putting on their makeup before crumpling her sandwich bag up into a ball and throwing it away in the small bin used for feminine products on the side of the stall. She slowly opened the stall door and walked up to the mirror.

Katie looked at herself. She was falling apart. Her hair was in a tangled bun at the base of her neck, her cheeks were red and blotchy, and she was starting to break out. She ran her hand through her hair. It was gross and oily because she hadn't bothered to wash it for several days. Katie then rubbed her hands on her face and inhaled deeply. She was not going to cry. Again. Even though this had so far been her biggest fuck up in her life, even worse than the time she had broken Travis's arm on purpose for putting Easter bunnies on the flowers on her windowsill.

Katie walked out of the bathroom and to her locker. She rounded the corner and walked into the corridor, but stopped abruptly when she saw who was leaning against her locker.

" _Travis._ " Katie whispered to herself. As though he had sensed her, he looked up. Katie inhaled. He looked worse for wear, but still gorgeous. His curly brown hair, though messy, shined in the light in the corridor. He was wearing normal jeans and a t-shirt, his hands tucked into the front pockets of his jeans. As he saw Katie he stood to meet her.

"Katie, can I talk to you?" There was no one else in the hall, but still Travis spoke softly, timidly. Katie walked forward and nodded.

"Katie, I'm really sorry, for….offending you. I never thought that my feeling for you would be so...disturbing...to you." Katie wanted him to stop talking. She wanted to rush in and correct everything, to say that it was all just one big misunderstanding, but she couldn't. She had dug herself to deep and now she couldn't find her way back.

"I really hope we can stay...y'know, friends. I don't want it to get between us or anything." Katie nodded silently, numbly. _Friends. He wants us to be friends._

"Yeah well, um...I should go...I have to get something from-" He began, but Katie interrupted before she could stop herself.

"Why did you ask Miranda out?" Travis looked at her wide eyed, like a deer caught in the headlights. She had never seen him look like that before, he had always been coolly unmoved, laughing in the face of, well, everything.

"Well, you made it pretty clear that you didn't think of me in that way. I don't know Katie, I was hurt and Miranda was there to help me. It's not like you ever were. Miranda's a really nice girl, I really do like her."

" _A really nice girl, huh…"_ Katie muttered to herself. "I know, she was my best friend." Travis looked at her with a puzzled look.

"Was?"

"Don't you need to be somewhere Travis?" Katie didn't feel like explaining that she was no longer friends with Miranda. She could already feel her chest contracting and the tears building up behind her eyes. She didn't want to explain that she had no one.

"Ok…" Travis looked at her, concerned. "I'll see you around." And he left, just like that. No stupid joke or play on words, no flirtatious statement thrown over his shoulder. Just silence and the heavy weight of knowing that something broken will never be completely fixed again.

Katie walked down the hall, forgetting to get her books out of her locker. It was Friday, the day before her holiday started. None of her classes were doing anything important. Katie didn't think she could take the eyes and the chatter and the pitying looks of people, all the people that she would have to see in her classes. People, too many people.

It was the first day in her life that Katie skipped class.

Katie was only walking around her sorry excuse of a town because her mother kicked her out of the house. Katie had been moping in her room and listening to sad music for four out of the nine days of the break when her mother had forced herself into her room, made her put on some actual clothes and not the pajamas that she had been wearing the whole of her break, and "quit moping, you are a teenager, you have plenty of time to do that when you have student loans and bills". Then she had promptly dropped her off in the middle of the downtown area of Nowhere, California under the pretense that Katie had made plans with Miranda.

But of course she had not, could not, make plans with Miranda. So now she was walking around the town alone and trying not to look pathetic or suspicious. Katie decided to go to the local library, because at least there she could bury herself in a book and she could be there alone without attracting any attention.

Katie walked down the Main Street in the middle of downtown. She was looking at the different shop windows as she walked. There were not very many that she liked, most of the shops were overpriced, but there were a few good café's and bakeries. She was walking past her favorite; it was her favorite because she loved the macarons that were sold there; when she saw who was inside.

 _Of course, Travis and Miranda are on their date, here of all places!_ Travis and Miranda were seated near the back of the cafe. They were sitting at opposite sides of the table, talking to each other. Both of them had a milkshake in front of them, Travis had a chocolate one and Miranda had a vanilla. Having milkshakes at a place like this with her boyfriend had always been something Katie had wanted to do, but seeing it like this, seeing it happen to someone else, lodged something deep in her skin. She was seething. Without being high on jealousy, Katie wouldn't have decided to do next.

Katie went into the shop. Neither Travis, nor Miranda had seen her come in, they were to in depth with their conversation. Katie sat at a table where she was able to easily see them and propped a menu in front of her face. She snuck a look over the menu. It seemed that Travis was making a joke, reenacting it in an embarrassing way. Miranda looked unamused and was telling him to be quiet. _They don't seem to get along together very well_ Katie noted. But that might just be her biased opinion.

A waitress came over to Katie's table. She looked at Katie's menu shield oddly, but didn't say anything.

"Is there something I can get you dear?" Katie ordered a strawberry milkshake, strawberry was her favorite, and a strawberry macaron. The waitress nodded, cast one more odd look at Katie, and then left. Katie continued watching Travis and Miranda from over her menu.

By the time the woman had come to her with her milkshake, Katie had come to several conclusions about Travis and Miranda's relationship.

First, that Miranda didn't like Travis. All of Travis's little quirks, the ones that Katie loved, seemed to annoy her. Every joke that he made she chided her for, every sarcastic comment she got angry at. Everything that differentiated Travis from Connor was something that Miranda didn't like.

The second thing Katie noticed was that Travis didn't seem to like Miranda. His heart was not really in any of the conversation that he made with her, and he argued with her over a lot of stuff. He didn't like her lack of stupid humour, he didn't like that she was so righteous about _everything_ and so easily offended by the smallest things. Those were two of the things that made her one of Katie's best friends because it made her the perfect person to vent to or rant to, but she was not a very good match for Travis.

The last thing she observed was that they were trying _way too hard._ It was like they were forcing themselves to be together. She noticed Miranda uncomfortable trying to laugh at a reference he made, even though she didn't even play the video game he was referencing. And Travis trying to talk to Miranda about the upcoming elections, but getting completely lost because he really didn't follow that stuff. It was like taking to non matching puzzle pieces and trying to make them fit. It just didn't work.

Katie was halfway through her milkshake when the two paid their bill(Travis wanted to pay for her, but Miranda argued that it was a sexist micro-aggression) and they got up to leave. Katie quickly flipped up the hood of her hoodie and put the menu over her face. Once they passed her and went outside, she slapped some money onto the table and left her milkshake unfinished. She thanked the waitress and went after them.

Katie followed them throughout the town. It was difficult to say the least. Not just the sealing and the fact that her best friend is on a date with her crush, but that fact that it was just so difficult to watch two completely incompatible people hanging out together. At the moment, Katie was hiding behind a rack of clothes and was watching as Miranda told Travis to wait for her to try on a dress. Travis was looking longingly at a rack of weird hats, but at the last shop they had gone into Miranda had yelled at him for fooling around with the hats. Katie knew that she would never do that.

Katie looked down at her feet while she adjusted her crouch so she wouldn't trip over any fallen clothing items. While she was distracted she felt a hand on her shoulder. She gasped and whipped her head around.

"Miranda!" She squealed. "Wha-what are you doing here?"

" _What am I doing here?_ Shouldn't I be asking you that?" She sounded mad, but also a bit teasing, like she already knew the answer.

"What am I...well I'm uh, I'm just" Katie stuttered.

"Katie, it's fine. I know you were following us. And I realized that the reason you didn't tell me you liked Travis was because you didn't know yourself. I've been selfish. I didn't even think of what you were going through." Katie looked at her in shock.

"N-no, no, what? Not at all." Miranda gave her a look. "I don't want to ruin what you and Travis have." Katie lied. Miranda rolled her eyes.

"Please, Katie. Even you can see how badly Travis and I are together. He doesn't even realize that I am not even in the dressing room." They both looked over at Travis who was discreetly trying on a bright pink wide brimmed sun hat. "I don't even like him; I was just dating him because I knew you would hate it- which I am sorry about. And Travis, he's never liked me. He only said yes because he was heartbroken from you." Katie winced guiltily.

"Well what am I supposed to do?" She asked.

"I don't know, ask him out. Tell him how you really feel about him. I'm sure he'll say yes right away."

"But Miranda, that's what i'm scared of. I've just been so awful to him recently, I'm not sure I deserve him. I don't want him dating someone less than him. He doesn't deserve it." Miranda snorted.

"God Katie, if you're going to be like that, maybe I should just continue dating him. He does help my popularity." Katie didn't know what came over her, but she got a sudden surge of possessiveness and felt the need to defend the fact that Travis is not just a prize to be won. She slapped Miranda. Hard.

"No Miranda, _he's mine."_ She hissed. Miranda rubbed her face and smiled slightly.

"One: ouch? And two: there's the overly dramatic Katie I know." Katie smiled back at her. She was still mad about what Miranda had done, and she hadn't quite forgiven her, but she had done some pretty mean things too, so she decided they had to start somewhere.

"Now go out there and get him!" Miranda shoved her arm and whispers excitedly.

"I can't do that _now!_ That would be weird."

"You're right." Miranda made a face. "Do it some other time, after you have thought about what you are going to say. In the meantime, I am going to break up with my 'boyfriend'. Now go home!" Miranda shoved her slightly in the way of the door.

"Ok, ok!" Katie grinned at Miranda and moved her brown hair out of her face. Miranda waited for Katie to crawl to a safe distance before standing up. Katie saw her as she left the shop as she told Travis, who hadn't noticed her get behind the clothes rack, that she had been 'searching for a deal'. Katie laughed lightly and started walking back to her house, forgetting her original intention of going to the library. She had to get planning.

 **A/N: I don't really have anything about this chapter except for that fact that the whole time I was writing on my iPad, whenever I went to press the 'a' key I would always PRESS THE FUCKING SHIFT BUTTON AND OH MY GOD, IT TOOK SO MUCH LONGER BECAUSE OF THAT. So anyway...please tell me how you think Katie should 'profess her undying love' to Travis. Don't forget to fave, follow and review!**

 **skulls-surround-suns**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Yeah y'all! This is the last chapter, so y'all enjoy! I just want to thank KittyKofficial for her idea that I used in this chapter. Sorry if I didn't use your confession ideas, I just got so many that I didn't want to just choose one! Last but not least, I want to thank all of my wonderful readers. Thank you!**

 **If you recognise it, it's not mine.**

Katie had no idea what to do.

She had been so _shitty_ to Travis for the past few weeks and she had hardly talked to him at all. What could she do? Just walk up to him and say ' _Hey Travis, remember how I told you I hated you? Yeah, and then you dated my best friend? Yeah? Well I stalked you on one of your dates and convinced her to break up with you just so I could say that I have been lying to you this whole time and I am actually in love with you."_ Yeah, because that doesn't make her sound like a crazy person.

"I'm not a crazy person." She told her cactus.

Katie sat on her bed and then rolled onto her back. She stared at her ceiling fan, making lazy circles and pushing already cool air around the room. At one point, Katie had hung old daisy chains and strings of fake flowers and ivy from its arms. She was sure that it must be a safety hazard, but she didn't care enough to take them down.

 _Flowers._ Katie remembered what had started all of this sudden drama in her life. That one day in class where she had decided to draw flowers _of all things_ on Travis's hand. And he had completed her drawing, adding a revealing secret. At the time Katie had thought _that_ had been a big mistake, but it was nothing compared to what she had done.

Katie groaned and put her arms over her eyes. _Plan...I need to think of a plan…_

Katie didn't have a plan.

 _It's fine, I'm good at improve._ It was Monday, the first day that she would see Travis since she stalked him and Miranda, and the first day that he would see her since she had...told him she hated him. Katie internally winced. She didn't have an actual class with him until third period. If her nerves didn't kill her before then.

Well, Katie had a sort of plan. More like a decision that she had made. She was going to tell Travis how she felt. She was going to apologise. _Today._ It had to be today because ...he needed to know. Because Katie didn't know if she could go one more day with him thinking that she hates him.

She made it through first and second period. She was ready to see him. She would pull him aside after class- which happened to be lunch- and tell him. Some place quiet, where no one could see her cry(because she most certainly would).

She stepped into the classroom. She was standing next to Miranda, who she had thankfully started sitting with again. She stepped in and she didn't expect anything dramatic, no big silence, no turning heads. But when Travis looked at her...the world seemed to grow quiet, and the only turning head that mattered was his. She made eye contact and his blue eyes stared into her dark green ones. They held all of the sadness and unhappy surprise that they had held the last time he saw her. And suddenly everything was too loud, there were too many people, everyone was staring at her and she couldn't _think_ , she couldn't _do this._

She started to turn around, but Miranda pushed her forward. Travis was no longer looking at her, but she felt like he still was. Everything she had thought she would do went out the window. She just keep her head down and went to her seat.

Katie didn't make eye contact with Travis for the rest of the day. She didn't even look at him. She felt guilty. She felt _ashamed._ Like she didn't even deserve to look at him.

"Tomorrow." She told her cactus, as she buried her head in her pillow. "I'll tell him tomorrow."

Katie did not tell him tomorrow. Nor the next day. Or the next. She hadn't told him and it was already _Friday_. Katie knew if she told him after this, it might be too late. ' _Too late for what?'_ Asked the little voice at the back of her head. ' _I honestly don't know.'_ She told it.

Katie had been talking to him. They had gotten friendly over the past few days, she had even told him she didn't hate him. At least he knew that.

They had even started joking with each other again. Travis was starting to get the same light he used to have before. Sometimes, it even felt as though he was subtly flirting with her, but as soon as he did, he would pull back and act distant.

At lunch, Katie discussed this with Miranda:

"I think Travis might be flirting with me."

" _What!"_ Miranda choked on her drink. "I know he likes you, but he was hurting. Like, really hurting. Are you sure you are reading this right?"

"Well, he keeps laughing at all of my stupidly awkward attempts at jokes and then, it was so wierd, when we were in groups in chem, he had this whole thing about my voice being _soothing and sweet._ I mean, no one says that to someone unless they are flirting, right?"

"Katie, are you sure you might not just be trying to convince yourself that he is ready and willing to be in a relationship with you? He definitely likes you, but after what you did, it might take him a while to want to go out with anyone for that matter."

"He went out with you."

"But that's different." Miranda said.

"How?" Katie asked.

"Because he was heartbroken and desperate to seem like he wasn"t." Miranda explained. As much as Katie didn't like it, she knew it was probably true. _But still, Miranda of all people._

"Why did you even agree to go out with him?" She questioned. Miranda sighed, as though she was tired with this drama. Katie couldn't blame her, she was pretty tired of it too.

"Because before he is your crush, he is my friend," Katie 'humphed' but Miranda shushed her with a look. "He was hurting, and if I could be there for him, it was the least I could do. Plus...I kind of wanted to piss you off."

"I knew it!" Katie shouted. Several people sitting around them turned their heads. Katie continued, more quietly now than before. "You did it just to spite me."

"That might be half true." Miranda laughed. Katie started laughing with her. She was still mad about it, but Miranda's friendship was more important that holding stupid grudges.

"So...do you think I should wait to tell him...how I feel about him." Said Katie, lowering her voice to a mere whisper.

"No," Miranda said. "I think you should tell him."

"Why? I thought you said that he wasn't ready?" Miranda was silent before answering.

"I...this he isn't ready to start any kind of serious relationship. Not yet. But...I think telling him how you feel and explaining to him what happened will help that process along faster." Miranda explained. Katie nodded. _Sounds reasonable._

"So should I tell him today?" She wondered.

"Yeah. Best to get it over with."

"I'm not sure I can."

" _Just do it!"_

With Miranda's encouragement, Katie had it all planned out. She knew exactly what to say to him, at what time, where. Katie was completely prepared when she stepped into the classroom to meet those sky blue eyes head on. She was going to do it.

But fate was not on her side today. When she stepped into the classroom, the blue eyes were not there. Travis was not at school today.

Katie couldn't believe her bad luck. She had been so ready to talk to him, to _fucking confess to him. Like a shojo anime._ And he wasn't even here. She heard a couple of students asking about him. Apparently he was sick. Katie wondered if he was really sick or if he just didn't want to see him today.

Travis's empty seat was like a thorn in her foot. Like a splinter, or a really bad papercut. It was something that was there, throughout the day, reminding her of his absence. Reminding her of her incompetence. _Why couldn't I have done this when he was actually here earlier this week._

Katie was chomping at the bit. She couldn't focus, she was squirming. When Miranda asked what was wrong with her she told her of Travis's lack of attendance.

"Do you really think he would skip just to avoid you?"

"Yes."

"What about all of his flirting? I thought you two were warming up to each other?"

"I must have been wrong. I was wrong and he hates me and...oh God, I should have just told him earlier." Katie put her hands over her eyes.

"Why don't you just wait until Monday?"

"I can't wait until Monday! It has to be today!" Katie yelled. She had prepared. She was ready. But if she waited any longer she might not have the courage to do it.

"Ok, ok...why don't you just, like, go to his house after school. You can tell him then."

"Do you think that would be ok?" Katie asked, raising her head to look at Miranda.

"Yeah, Mrs. Stoll loves you, I'm sure she would let you visit him."

"Yeah, but will _he_ be ok with it?"

"I guess you won't know unless you try it." Miranda said, putting a reassuring hand on Katie's arm. Katie nodded in resignation.

"Ok. After school."

As soon as the last bell rang, Katie was already running out of the door. She wove her way past other students, who were pouring out of the classrooms and collecting in the hallway. She didn't know why she was running, there really wasn't any rush, but she felt like she needed to. Like she couldn't just stand and wait when she was this close. This close to a chance at something, whether it be closure or something more.

Katie wasn't sure what to expect. She wasn't sure if he would be fine with everything and sweep him into his arms, or if he would be absolutely livid. She wasn't even sure if he would see her. Her mind was running wild on adrenaline and anxiety. Anything seemed possible.

Katie's feet slapped the pavement and she was reminded of two weeks ago. Two weeks ago when she had been running from Travis and Miranda's 'relationship'. _God._ she hoped something like that wouldn't repeat itself.

But then it had been raining. Then, tears had been pouring down Katie's face. Then, she was heartbroken. Now though...now, the sun was breaking through the cloudy skies. Katie wasn't crying, she wasn't heartbroken. Now, she wasn't running. (Well...she _was_ running, but you get the point).

Katie slowed down to a brisk walk once she reached Travis's house. She was panting- she hadn't realized that she had been sprinting. She knocked on the door and tried to catch her breath while she waited for someone to open it. Finally, the door swung open. It was Travis's mother who stood to welcome her.

"Katie, oh my goodness, are you okay?" Mrs. Stoll's eyebrows were drawn together in the middle. Kate noticed that Travis's did that when he was upset too. His eyebrows did that when she said she hated him. Katie shook her head to stop thinking of that. Then, after seeing Mrs. Stoll's expression, she nodded.

"I'm fine," She said. "Can I see Travis?" Mrs. Stoll gave her a concerned look. Then she just stepped aside with a sigh and beckoned Katie in. Katie thanked her and took the stairs up to where she knew Travis's room was.

She stood outside of his door. She took a deep breath and raised her fist to knock. But she hesitated. She didn't know what would happen once she did. (As it turns out, Katie didn't know a lot of things) She calmed herself. She released the breath she had been holding. And she knocked.

Travis opened the door and Katie lost all of the breath the had previously regained. She felt like she had run a marathon. Travis looked horrible. His face was pale and blotchy, his hair was a mess and he was in his pajamas, even though it was already afternoon. _He must have actually been sick. Really sick._ Even so, he made Katie's heart jump just being around him.

"Katie." Travis said. His voice was hoarse. Kati suddenly felt bad for making a unexpected visit.

"Travis, wow. You're really sick. I-I am so sorry, I can come back. God, haha, what was I thinking."

"No, no, come in." Travis said, shaking his head. He turned into his room and Katie followed him. He sat on his bed and Katie stood in the middle of the room.

"Y'know, you can sit down." He said, gesturing towards a chair behind her. She shook her head.

"No, I'd rather not."

"So...is there a reason you're here. Or do you just want to spend more time with me." He smirked, but then erupted into a fit of coughs.

"Oh my God, I shouldn't be here." Katie started to say, but Travis shook is head.

"No...just, say what you need to." He sat up and looked at her expectantly.

"Ok, well, um, it's just, I mean- I just, I uh…" Katie tried to catch her breath, but found that she couldn't. Her heart was racing. "I, um, I-...Remember when I told you that I hated you." She blurted. Travis's expression hardened. _Shit, that's not what I meant to say._ Katie continued.

"Well, I lied. I don't hate you." Travis looked relieved.

"Thanks, I'm glad you don't hate me. I, uh, I don't hate you either." He said and started to get up.

"Wait! That's not all I wanted to say." Travis sat back down and Katie took another deep breath. She needed to calm down. She needed to get a hand on her emotions.

"I lied because I don't hate you. I like you." She said. Travis remained silent, so Katie started rambling.

"I really, really like you because, well, because you're Travis Stoll! And I've known you forever, and, and with you, when I am around you, it's like I'm home. And when you smile, it's like the sun and you're funny and nice. And you always pull these stupid, stupid pranks on me, but I can't stay angry for long because with every one, It's like you bothered to think about me, to care about me and I just- I just…"

Travis opened his mouth to speak, but Katie kept speaking. It was like the words were being pulled out of her. Like someone had given her Ipecac for words. Eww. No, that was gross.

"I'm so sorry about the last few weeks! I- I though that you and Miranda were dating and then I got jealous and completely blew up at her. And then you came up to me and I was angry and I thought you were two timing and I said such...awful things, and I am so sorry! I am so sorry." Katie knew she sounded hysterical. She couldn't help it. She was hysterical.

"Katie, Katie. I know, Miranda told me. And it's fine." He got up to hug her, but then stopped at the last second. Katie pulled him down and put her arms around him.

"I am so sorry. I am so _stupid!"_ She said. Travis stepped back from her and held her shoulders.

"Katie, it's fine. And- and I really like you too." Katie widened her eyes hopefully.

"But...I don't think I am ready to date. I just, I have to say Katie, it did hurt. A lot. But it also gave me time to think, with a clear head for once, and I think that I don't want to date. For a little while at least. I want to get to know you more. I mean, I know you, but I don't really _know_ you. I want to give it time, y'know?" He looked at her hopefully.

Katie tried not to look as dejected as she felt. She had wanted to date. She had wanted all of the gooey stuff that you see in romcoms and bad fanfiction. But she knew Travis was right. They both needed time. They didn't have to rush into anything. Maybe they could even get over their past differences. She nodded slowly.

"Ok...I- I agree. Let's take it slowly. We can-we can sort of...begin again."

"Begin again." Travis smiled. "I'd like that. But we don't have to forget all of the good parts." Katie smiled back at him.

"The good parts. You're right, we won't ignore the best parts." Travis lowered his lands, off of her shoulders and to meet her own hands.

"Hey, I'm feeling a little bit better, do you want to go outside?" She nodded and he pulled her along. The walked down the stairs, and Travis told his mum where they were going (while his mum was looking sneakily at their joined hands). Then they walked out the door.

They sat on the sidewalk together, next to a patch of weeds. The sun was hiding behind a cloud, but the rest of the sky was mostly clear. No other people were outside. Travis let go of her hand when the sat down.

"So...what did Miranda tell you?" Katie asked. She hoped that Miranda didn't tell him the most embarrassing things. Travis looked at her sideways. _Oh God._

"Apparently you stalked us on our date. And slapped Miranda. Oh, and apparently I'm yours. Would you happen to know anything about that?" He said smugly. Katie groaned and buried her head in her hands. Travis started laughing.

"Oh God! Don't look at me. God! I'm so embarrassed." Katie was laughing at herself along with Travis now. "I swear I'm normal. Please, just stop laughing!"

Neither of them stopped laughing.

"Oh my God, you don't even know the half of it. Did you know I tried planning scripts for myself for when I would talk to you? It was horrible. I even ended up looking up flower puns and pickup lines." Katie put her face back into her hands to conceal her redness.

"No…"

" _Yes._ I thought...I thought you would think it was funny. I thought it would lighten the mood a little."

"Tell me them!"

" _No!" K_ atie said. "That would be even worst than the slapping thing."

"That's debatable."

"Oh, shut up." She said, punching him lightly on the shoulder. "Fine." She cleared her throat.

"If you were a flower, you'd be a _damnnn_ delion." Katie said.

"That...is beyond terrible." Travis laughed and Katie laughed with him. The sun came out from behind the cloud and sunlight poured over everything. Katie looked at Travis. His curly hair was golden brown in the sunlight, and his eyes shone like stars. He smiled and Katie felt like everything that had happened, all the needless drama, had been worth it. If it meant sitting here with Travis today, on the course of beginning again, _yeah, it was definitely worth it._

Katie picked a dandelion from the patch of weeds beside her. Travis was telling her another pickup line (if I had a garden, I'd put my tulips and your tulips together). She laughed and then took the dandelion up to her lips. She blew all of the seeds into the air and watched them float into the sky. She tried to think of her wish, but found that she didn't have one.

It had already been granted.

 **A/N: Thank you for reading! If you liked this, read any of my other stories! This is it, so I guess you can't follow it, but please fave and review. If you want to, leave a review or a message for story prompts you want me to write. I'll try to write them if I am not too busy.**

 **Fave and review!**

 **~skulls-surround-suns**


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